Search Results for: blog hcg levels in pregnancy

Pregnancy Test Rules

Home pregnancy tests are always a fun topic to discuss. They are the kick off show to every pregnancy, and there is a lot of debate over things like whether there is such a thing as a false positive and whether the dollar tests are accurate. Here is an overview of the basic rules of home testing: 1. Use your first morning urine. I know it’s hard to wait until the next morning when you just bought a pack of tests the afternoon before, but it will be worth the wait. Your hormone levels are highest in the morning, so … Continue reading →

New Pregnancy Test Detects hCG Sooner

Perhaps you’ve heard the term “two week wait.” Who are we kidding, if you’ve ever tried to conceive, you lived (or died) for those two weeks. The phrase is a little misleading however, since it implies that most of us actually wait for two weeks after conception to take a pregnancy test. When I was trying to get pregnant, I joined a forum with some other women on the same ovulation schedule and some of us would start testing daily just seven days after ovulation. For the most part, testing so early and so often was a waste of money … Continue reading →

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Home Pregnancy Tests

Posted on by

If you are trying to get pregnant, it’s time to get familiar with the home pregnancy test. There are so many choices to choose from. You now have the option of using a digital or a “line” test. Once you’ve got the stick in hand, how do you use it? You can either use mid-stream urine (pee on the stick) or dip it in a cup. Once you have results, how do you figure out what those are? What about false negatives, false positives, evaporation lines or errors? It’s enough to make a woman pull her hair out! Digital Tests: … Continue reading →

Understanding Molar Pregnancy

Posted on by

A molar pregnancy can be a scary and confusing diagnosis. You may be wondering what happened to the baby? Is this like a miscarriage? If there is no baby, why did the pregnancy test come out positive? These are all valid questions. It helps to first understand what it means to have a molar pregnancy. In a normal pregnancy, conception happens when a healthy egg meets sperm. The sperm fertilizes the egg and the fertilized egg begins dividing rapidly. The hCG hormone is present in the blood within about a week of conception. It may be a few weeks before … Continue reading →

The Pregnancy Blog Review for Feb 25 – March 14

The pregnancy blog covers all topics related to conception, pregnancy, labor, birth and the postpartum time after the baby arrives. The blog review is a good place to view the recently covered topics. You can also browse by category on the right side of the page. Gestational diabetes affects about five percent of all pregnant women. The glucose test done in the second trimester screens for this condition. If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you will have to learn to manage the condition and monitor your blood sugar levels. Learn more in Managing Gestational Diabetes. If you have not … Continue reading →

The Pregnancy Blog Week in Review for June 24-June 30

Summer is here and life is full of busy days as you prepare for your baby’s arrival. Take a break from the heat, fill your water glass and catch up on your reading with the week in review. Chorionic Villus Sampling is a prenatal test that is used to diagnose genetic and chromosomal disorders. Learn more about this test, when it is used and what to expect. Are you looking for a fun project this summer? Consider Making a Belly Cast. A plaster belly cast is a fun way to remember your baby bump. The process only takes about an … Continue reading →

HCG Levels in Pregnancy

Human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG, is also known as the pregnancy hormone. This hormone is the one that is detected by a pregnancy test, whether it is a urine or a blood test. HCG levels are sometimes measured in early pregnancy. This is generally done if you were an infertility patient or if there is reason to believe something is wrong. In some cases, the doctor can use the HCG level to predict an outcome. For example, in some cases a very low HCG level can indicate either an ectopic pregnancy or impending miscarriage. This is not always the case. … Continue reading →

Reading Home Pregnancy Tests

If you have been or have suspected pregnancy in the past, you have probably used at least one home pregnancy test. These kits are designed to be used at home to detect pregnancy. According to the commercials, it’s easy. You just pee on the stick, wait a few minutes and voila! Unfortunately, this scene doesn’t often play out in reality. It may go this smoothly for the lucky few, but many women have trouble reading the results. The rest of us are left standing in the bathroom staring at the window on that little stick. Is that a line? It’s … Continue reading →

Always Get a Second Opinion

Posted on by

According to a recent news piece in the Irish Times, a woman was told at an early prenatal appointment last year that her baby had died. She was given an abortive drug and set up an appointment to have the fetus removed. When she continued to suffer morning sickness, she decided to get a second opinion. It’s a good thing she went with her gut instinct, because it turned out that the baby was just fine. It’s extremely important, particularly in early pregnancy, to request a follow up scan if the first ultrasound seems to indicate the pregnancy is not … Continue reading →

Go Ahead, Be a Cheapskate!

Posted on by

Do you think you might be pregnant? There’s only one way to find out: take a pregnancy test! There are so many different tests to choose from, however, and at around $6-$10 each, it can get expensive. I’ve been down that road and I know that pregnancy tests are not unlike Pringles; you can’t just take one. Here is price comparison featuring popular tests you might find at your local drug store. (All prices are from Walgreens.com.) Accu-Clear / Type: line / Price: about $4.99 per test / hcG Sensitivity: 50mIU Clearblue Easy Digital / Type: digital / Price: about … Continue reading →